The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has retained Nigeria’s economic growth forecast at 4.1 percent for 2026, but warned that higher prices for essential commodities will worsen poverty and food insecurity.
In its July 2026 World Economic Outlook (WEO) Update released on Wednesday, the IMF said Nigeria’s gross domestic product (GDP) would expand by 4.1 percent this year and improve to 4.3 percent in 2027 — unchanged from its April forecast.
The Bretton Woods institution also maintained sub-Saharan Africa’s growth outlook at 4.3 percent for 2026 and 4.5 percent for 2027.
“Nigeria is supported by improved macroeconomic stability and favorable terms-of-trade effects, though higher prices for essentials are expected to further aggravate poverty and food insecurity,” the IMF said.
“Growth in sub-Saharan Africa is expected to remain broadly stable at 4.3 percent in 2026, though this masks substantial divergence across countries, reflecting differences in policy space,
